The Penny Paradox
by thathottrekkiechick
Summary: S/P. ...That's about it really. Enjoy! Review Review Review! I love hearing from you all :
1. Chapter 1

Hey, everyone who is gracious enough to read this. Its my first foray into writing fanfiction so...please review, and please be nice. XD

**Chapter I: To the beach…to swim**

It had been three months since Penny's breakup with Leonard, and everything was pretty much back to normal. But as she sat at her kitchen table flipping through the latest issue of _Vogue_, she felt that familiar need to walk across the hall to check on her little (at least, in Leonard's case) dorky friends. So she did. Leonard answered the door and Sheldon glanced up from his laptop.

"Hi guys!" "Hi, Penny." "Hello, Penny."

….Silence. Penny knew _she'd_ have to start something. "Sooo…anyone up for a trip to the beach?" Leonard cocked his head in his trademark "confused" expression. "Like….to swim?" he asked, tentatively. "Well-yeah," Penny smiled. "That's why people go to the beach."

Sheldon swiveled away from his computer screen. "Actually, that's an unrealistic generalization. People often go to the beach to enjoy a number of activities other than swimming, i.e. surfing, sailing, shell-collecting, sun-bathing-"

"Sheldon," Leonard cut him off impatiently. He turned back to Penny. "That sounds great, we'd love to come-"

"No, we wouldn't." "Yes we _would_, Sheldon," Leonard half-yelled. Sheldon stood indignantly. "May I remind you of what occurred last time we visited the beach?"

Leonard leaned against the doorframe. "Sheldon, your mother is not in town now, and anyway I don't think it's possible to baptize someone for a third time, voluntarily or otherwise." Sheldon advanced on him. "Then need I mention how extraordinarily harmful exposure to solar UV rays is, particularly to someone with such delicate, porcelain skin as I have?"

"Sheldon?"

"Yes?"

"Lets go." With that, Leonard walked swiftly to his room, grabbed his swim trunks, and started down the stairs with Penny. Sheldon followed. "Leonard, if I get burned, you're rubbing aloe vera on my back."

Penny skipped through the water, breaking out in a smile. The Santa Monica waves were nice and cool this late in June. She glanced back to shore. Sheldon was sitting cross-legged and straight-backed just outside of the water's reach, in his usual two shirts and a pair of plaid shorts. Penny appreciated that he had a look and stuck with it, but _seriously_. It's the beach.

Penny walked up the hot sand until Sheldon was under her shadow. She tossed her damp hair over her shoulder, her white, one-piece suit gleaming in the sun like a freshly minted dime. "Sheldon, why aren't you in the water with us?" she demanded. He raised his eyebrows challengingly. "Penny, I don't swim." Penny opened her mouth to protest, but Leonard laid a sea-drenched hand on her arm. "He doesn't." Penny furrowed her brow.

"You can't just…not swim," she said as the two of them walked back to the water. Leonard swished his feet in the tiny waves. "He _can_ swim, he just chooses not to. He doesn't like the ocean." Penny grinned mischievously. "Well…why don't we cure him of that little problem, hmm?"

"Leonard, that's preposterous, why would jellyfish be swimming this close to shore?"

"Just come out a little farther, it was just here a minute ago…"

"I don't see any-AAAAAAH!!" Splash.

Leonard threw himself with a shout of laughter into the water beside a dripping, spluttering Sheldon. Penny giggled-he looked like a cat that had fallen into a bath tub. "That was _completely _unnecessary!" Sheldon stood and walked back up to safe, dry land. Penny's eyes followed him as he went. Something strange had happened in the second that he had risen from the water. He didn't look like a wet cat anymore…he looked like (Penny couldn't think of a better description) a _god. _His eyes burned with humiliation and salty water stung his cheeks and lips, bringing out a rosy pink color. It tousled his usually neatly combed hair. It soaked through his shirt(s), so that the latter was plastered to his body, revealing…_muscles?_ The outlines were faint, but they were definitely there. Penny found herself wondering how he would look in just _one_ t-shirt….or none…

Then a wave knocked her legs out from under, forcing her back to reality.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II: Eyes**

Penny wasn't exactly sure what was happening. Today was Friday. The beach had been Sunday. But when Penny closed her eyes for even a moment, she could not stop remembering…the way the sunlight had caught in his disheveled hair and trickled down over the sharp contours…she inwardly shook herself, tried to back up and review.

She had come into the boys' apartment through the open door, in search of Sheldon (her damn computer was acting up again.) She had found him standing in the doorway of his room. They had chatted (awkwardly), Sheldon had made some sort of joke about quarks, _whatever the heck those are, _and Penny had looked up to find herself waaaay too close to him. She could see the little spokes of ocean-y blue in his eyes. _God his eyes are really pretty…why didn't I notice that in, like, the three years I've known him…_ She wanted to look away-Sheldon was clearly uncomfortable, his eyes were flickering from the ceiling to her face to the floor and back. _…beautiful eyes…_

Penny is staring at me. What happened? What's happening now?? We were conversing fluidly, I made a joke, she laughed, (though I'm not certain that should understood the humor) and…now what? She is still staring at me. She's awfully close now. Rajej was right, she does smell pleasant. That's beside the point. What is the point? She has quite lovely eyes, a soft shade of seafoam green. Why can't I look away now? Why am I asking so many questions? What on God's green earth is going on here? Green…like Penny's eyes…

Penny felt trapped. Leonard probably would have said it was magnetic. It felt that way. A magnet behind Sheldon's eyes that was pulling her closer and closer. And she didn't want to escape. She wanted to get pulled into those eyes, into him. The magnet was in his chest now. Penny took a step closer, almost craning her neck to keep those eyes on hers. She was so hypnotized that she barely felt (more like sensed) Sheldon's hand, his big, long-fingered hand, rest on her waist. _He smells nice….clean….like rain…_

Something's very wrong here. She is so close I can see her pupils dilating. Wait. Pupil dilation=arousal. That must be what that strange burning sensation in my stomach is. Penny is aroused by me? I had better test it to be sure….perhaps if I touch her…yes that must be….

Sheldon's mind temporarily clouded-all he saw, or thought, now was Penny: Penny's eyes, Penny's mouth, so close he could just…

Penny pushed herself up on her toes, closing the four inch gap between Sheldon and herself. Her mouth connected with his. For a split second her brain screamed at her to stop kissing _Sheldon. _Then he kissed her back. Tentatively, his mouth catching her bottom lip and sucking softly, the tip of his tongue slipping over hers. His fingers gripped her back desperately as he clung to her lips. _He's stronger than I thought…much…much_ Penny gave up thinking as Sheldon pressed her body against his. Instead, she grabbed his (suddenly powerful) arm. His skin was smooth and cool. He pulled back suddenly, just inches, then consumed her mouth again. _Wow…._

_Wow…._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter III: Jam and Circuit Boards**

"Hey Sheldon, I got more of that boysenberry jam." Penny pulled away looking over her shoulder at the clink of groceries being set on the counter. Sheldon took a startled step backward, blinking his wide, doe-like eyes. He disappeared into his room, and Penny flounced convincingly into the kitchen.

"Heeey there Leonard," she grinned. "Hi, Penny," he replied, holding out an open box. "Nilla Wafer?" She took one. "…uh, what are you doin' over here?" he asked, glancing around the empty room. Penny side-stepped him. It wasn't like there was anything awkward between them anymore-Penny just…really didn't wanna look at him right now. "I um" she began, keeping her eyes on the lights over Leonard's head. "I had to use your bathroom. Mine's…broken," she finished lamely.

"Oh. Well, do you want some help with it-"

"No its ok I called a plumber."

"Ok…have you seen Sheldon around?" Leonard wandered down the hallway, Penny following. They found Sheldon sprawled gracelessly on his bed with a circuit board in his broad hands. He looked up and his cheeks flushed pink.

"I'm just….gonna…you know-go." Penny half-ran back to her apartment and collapsed face first on the couch.

Sheldon followed Leonard into the kitchen and grabbed the whole wheat bread and boysenberry jam. He wasn't particularly hungry; he just needed to do something. He couldn't possibly stand there and stare at Leonard with the strawberry sweet taste of Penny's lip gloss on his mouth. _Poor Leonard. So naïve, so unwitting. _

"You know, I'm glad Penny's moving on," Leonard said. "What-what?" Sheldon started, dropping the butter knife. Leonard frowned at him, but Sheldon's expression was passive. "I just mean its good that we're both comfortable where we are now."

"Yeah, yes that is good. I'm glad. I'm going to finish that circuit board now." Sheldon took the bread and jam into his room. Leonard frowned again. _Finish the circuit board? I didn't know he was building one, why didn't he tell me about it…_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter III: Close Encounters of….Some Kind**

Tap tap tap. "Penny." Tap tap tap. "Penny." Tap tap tap. "Penny."

Penny waited on the other side of her door for him to finish before opening it. "Yes, Sheldon?" _Oh God, I'm not wearing any makeup, he's never seen me without makeup before, crap!_ Sheldon broke into her thoughts.

"May I come in, Penny?"

Penny's hand tightened on the doorknob. _Why would he want to come in? Act __normal __for God's sake! _

"Sure, come in."

He walked past her and stood uncomfortably in the center of the room, his fingers clenching and unclenching. He turned to face her, his vivid eyes lasering in on her.

"Penny I need to speak with you about something that's been bothering me for some time now," he stated simply, trying his best to maintain eye contact. Penny stepped forward tentatively. Maybe he was back to crazy, neurotic, normal Sheldon. She never thought that she would _miss _that Sheldon. The Sheldon from the hallway, two days ago…she had no idea what, or how, to think of that Sheldon…

"I trust that you recall the events of Friday afternoon," he asked. Penny tried (and failed) to match his tone. "Yes."

Sheldon's eyes flickered away again. "With that in mind, I hope you understand the following."

Penny's knees gave out. She would've collapsed completely had not Sheldon caught her in his as he kissed her. She wrapped her arm around his neck, whether for support or to pull him closer she wasn't sure. Not that she cared. All she could possibly register now was his mouth pressed passionately against hers, his hands brushing up her spine into her hair.

Sheldon knew he shouldn't be there, shouldn't be this close to Penny, shouldn't be holding her this way. But he didn't care much now…and he couldn't explain why. It was entirely illogical…but it felt good. He had never held a woman before…except his mother-and this experience was _nothing_ like that. Penny was so…perfect. He traced his fingertips along the taut muscles in her bare shoulders, along the lines straight as arrows and the soft, warm flesh in between. Sheldon had always had an appreciation for the physical form of a female, but he never thought it could entirely consume him. His mind was pulled back to Penny as she pressed her cool gentle mouth against his neck. He closed his eyes. Her fingers traced similar patterns up and around his shoulders, down his arms, and along his veins. Sheldon blinked, trying to clear his buzzing, confused head. Penny was staring up at him. Her eyes were burning holes in his logic, in his defenses…he lost focus again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter X: Has to Stop**

Sheldon started, shook himself, and glanced at the clock in the corner of his computer screen. Monday, April 29, 6:15. He inwardly chastened himself-he had lost focus completely, ten minutes had passed, in which he could've solved this proof. He closed his eyes, visualizing the problem. What floated along the insides of his eyelids was not a series of numbers and symbols, but a series of images, scents, and sensations. His memories swelled up and pulled him out into a sea of…of…he couldn't even finish a simple metaphor. _This has to stop,_ he told himself firmly. Sheldon blinked as the door resounded with a knock. He stood, opened it swiftly, and froze. Penny looked particularly attractive today, soft and golden.

"Sheldon, this has to stop." Sheldon swallowed, trying to formulate a reasonable response to his very own thought. "Come in, Penny."

Penny brushed past him and wandered behind the couch, toying with the hem of her short jumper. She looked back at him, standing stock-straight next to the couch, hands folded behind his back. Penny had a sudden, bizarre urge to giggle as she studied him. His long-lashed eyes flicked up to her face.

"Forgive me, Penny, but _what _has to stop?" Penny wasn't sure if he was confused…or if he just didn't want to say it. She looked down at the issue of _Scientific American_ on the coffee table. When she looked back up, her heart jumped-he had moved silently beside her and was looking intently down at her. Penny took a deep breath, determined not to look away first.

"What has to stop…" he repeated, his voice gentle and low.

Penny's mind whirred and stopped suddenly. He was right: what _had _to stop? The answer was nothing…

She kissed him slowly and softly, taking his large hands in hers.


End file.
